symptoms - scans - questions

Pam P · 01-08-2009, 05:24 AM

I went to primary dr. yesterday for sinus issues. As a oh, by the way, I mentioned I'd had this pain going down the back of my right leg for a week or so - mild & on & off. I notice it when stepping on the gas in the car, or sitting in some chairs - mostly hard chairs. I asked if it was siatica & what to do about it. He knows I have bone mets & immediately said I need a mri of lumbar spine & he added thoracic too. He said a bone met might be interferring with the nerve. I thought that was unneccesary, but asked my onc. & he agreed I should have the mri. I just had a pet scan in Dec. which showed several spots on vertebra, but didn't mention anything about interferring with nerve. Would a pet scan show that? Has anyone here had this kind of issue with bone mets in spine? The pet mentioned T11, 12, L 1&3 as known sites.

Also on my pet scan I'm confused about this: "low level diffusely increased bone marrow uptake. Non-specific. If the patient has recently been treated with bone marrow stimulating factors then this is likely benign response to the treatment. If the patient has not been treated with bone marrow stimulating factors then this would be compatible with diffuse low level bony metastasis. " I've never seen this on a report before. My onc. didn't mention it & I didn't see the written report until after I met with him. Is this a common result of chemo? bone mets? which is likely always been there or likely a new development I need to know about?

Colleen007 · 01-08-2009, 07:35 AM

Hi Pam,

I also have bone mets...where it says that "If the patient has recently been treated with bone marrow stimulating factors", the are most likely referring to Neupogen and/or Neulasta. Did you receive either of those injections after chemo for low white counts? I have to get them after every Navelbine treatment due to a history of low white counts and my PET scans also have that notation and I have been told there is nothing to worry about. Last time, I also had xrays and MRIs to be sure and there was nothing on those tests to back up the remark on the PET (and those came back "clean").

I think it is good that you are also going for the MRI, as that will hopefully not show anything. Good luck.

Believe51 · 01-08-2009, 11:17 AM

Pam, here is a big hug and prayer as you work this all out. Stay strong!>>Believe51

Pam P · 01-08-2009, 07:31 PM

Colleen - I have not had neupogen or anything like that, only taxol, avastin & zometa. And I've had other pet scans while on similar chemo & this has never come up in a report before. The mri is scheduled for next Wed.